Japanese stocks faced mid-summer volatility caused by a sudden turn to hawkish monetary policy by the Bank of Japan (BOJ). However, they're poised for another solid annual performance with the unhedged MSCI Japan Index higher by more than 11% year-to-date.
For much of this year, global fintech activity has remained strong, largely driven by increased consumer demand and small enterprises side-stepping high-street banking systems amid a high interest rate environment.
The holiday shopping season is progressing on a strong note, with record sales reported on Black Friday & Cyber Monday. The positive sales trends have been echoed in the results of a number of retailers, with many reporting results above expectations and revising guidance accordingly. The gains have continued to be more pronounced among those with greater "value" proposition among their product offerings.
Over the years, some have considered the energy trade an old-school relic.
The 2024 holiday season is projected to witness a 3% surge in consumer discretionary spending, igniting a crucial period for the retail sector and the stock market. As shoppers gear up for festive celebrations and gift-giving, investors are eyeing opportunities to capitalize on this surge in consumer enthusiasm.
The price-to-sales ratio is a convenient tool to gauge the value of stocks incurring losses or in an early development cycle. Stocks like AGR, PCB, FIHL, GBX and PFE hold promise.
November was the best month of 2024 for the Dow Jones and the S&P 500.
These five small cap stocks have strong growth potential for 2025. These are: TALK, RYAM, CSTL, PBAM, RSSS.
Small-cap stocks have underperformed large caps for well over a decade, and trade at a massive relative valuation discount. However, the falling-interest rate environment could provide a multiyear tailwind to small caps and could lead to major outperformance.
Investing in biotech offers high upside but comes with significant risks, especially with volatile stock movements and binary outcomes from clinical trials, says Jonathan Faison. Focus on multi-year clinical and commercial momentum, diversifying with multiple drug candidates.
Amazon NASDAQ: AMZN and Meta NASDAQ: META are pulling back from their Q3 2024 highs and providing a second chance for investors to load up. Up more than 30% and 55% YTD, respectively, these stocks are experiencing natural corrections within robust bull markets and providing entry points for new and follow-on investments.
Market trends continue to point to durable cruise demand, with Cruise Lines International Association already projecting robust growth in passengers and capacity through 2027. These developments naturally trigger RCL's raised FY2024 guidance along with the raised consensus forward estimates, with it implying that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. If anything, the company continues to report improved balance sheet health attributed to the richer adj EBITDA margins, despite the new fleet deliveries.